Atascadero all comers meet returns July 26

ATASCADERO — This Wednesday, June 28 the all comers meets will return to Atascadero High School. The all comers meets have become one of the key indicators that it is in fact summer in Atascadero. Each Wednesday night, starting next week until July 26, Memorial field will transform into a track meet that every person, regardless of experience or skill level, can compete in. The meets can feature everything from five -year-olds jumping into sand, all the way up to olympic gold medalists keeping in shape over the summer.

There will be five meets in total and each will contain seven different age groups starting with 6 and under and ending in 30+(Masters) division.

“We always say it’s from ages three to 103, it’s for all ages, all abilities but it has recently transitioned to being more family oriented,” Meet director Robyn Schmidt said.

The transition can probably be attributed to the fact that long-time Atascadero resident and legendary track coach Harry Marra moved to Oregon a couple years ago. Marra was Team USA’s national decathlon coach from 1990-2000, and has brought several of his athletes to the meets in years past. Olympic gold medalist and current holder of the title “the world’s best athlete” Ashton Eaton used to make appearances at the all comers meet long before he won Olympic medals.

There is something for everyone at these meets, the most popular event according to Schmidt is the hurdles for the little kids.

“They are so cute and entertaining that we just love that event and I think everybody would love it, young and old.” Schmidt said.

The meets begin at 3:30 p.m. and ends as close to 9 p.m. as possible. The entry fee is $5 per person with a maximum of $10 per a family for unlimited events. The age group breakdowns are as follows: 6 and under, 7- 9, 10-12, 13-15, 16- 18, 19-29 (open division), 30+ (masters division).

The order of events from each meet can be seen on the Atascadero all comers website at atascaderoallcomers.org. While the meet begins at 3:30PM, the national anthem will be sung at 6PM and that is when the events on the track take place, throwing events will start at 3:30PM and go in order from youngest to oldest.